Help me spend $20 at Starbucks

[gtrekker2003]

I never drink coffee at Starbucks. But I got a $20 gift card for them and want to spend it well.
I typically like more flavoured, sweet but not too sweet, coffees. I think some Starbucks' have desserts and sandwiches, right?

Anything that is recommended? Anybody try the sandwiches?

[Jetgirly]

I'm a teacher so I get lots of Starbucks cards as gifts around the holidays. I use them for mugs. Then I bring the mugs to school and drink my own tea in them.

[Midlife]

Starbucks sells one of the best quality thermos bottles we've ever used for something like $25...... sometimes a slow-selling color is on sale for $20. Problem solved and you don't have to worry about what to drink. (I guess they call it a 'thermal' bottle because it's not made by Thermos.) This thing has kept coffee hot for 12 hours easy.

[sweethunibabi]

I always get a triple grande, no foam, skinny vanilla latte.

Costs me $4.15 and it is my absolute favorite. You can get a regular vanilla latte if you don't like skim milk and sugar free syrup :)

[im hungry]

last year our flight from portugal to newark got bumped,so we missed our connecting flight.anyways theres 7 people in our crew,5 people decided to drive home,so my wife and i got all of the food coupons for the airport,like 250$ worth,we eat as much as we could,but it didnt cover drinks,beers were 10$ and margaritas were 15,crazy.anyways we ended up at starbucks with 150 in coupons,i think we got 8 pounds of coffee,a couple mugs,tea,bottles of water,a cd,cookies,etc.im all set with starbucks coffee for awhile now.

[wonderflosity]

Their new cupcakes are fantastic. The Red Velvet one is spectacular!

I also am a big fan of just a plain non fat latte, or soy latte, or my new indulgent favorite, a half-sweet soy caramel Macchiatto!

[jujuthomas]

what is half sweet, wonder? thanks!

[momof3]

Half the amount of syrup "pumps" for example a grande vanilla latte would have 4 pumps of vanilla syrup, a half-sweet grande vanilla latte would have only 2 pumps of vanilla.

[Suzy Q]

I would totally spend it on a travel mug. Say what you will about Starbucks, but their travel mugs are fantastic. They also usually have some neat ceramic coffee mugs.

[jujuthomas]

I like their reduced fat blueberry coffee cake, and if you aren't a coffee drinker they have a nice selection of teas. :)

[Squint]

You have probably already spent the gift card, but Starbucks usually has the music CD they are featuring for sale. That and a cup of hot chocolate should take care of the $20!

[greygarious]

Agreed - they have some good music CDs, and it's worth taking a look at clearance items.

[othervoice]

I'm not a fan of their coffee either. But a vendi hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. Sooooo good. They used to sell a blueberry scone, (maybe with poppyseed?) that was also great. Haven't had one in years though.

[wontonfm]

I often find myself in the same situation. I usually buy tea or the packaged nuts if I need a quick snack.

WON
http://whatsonmyplate.wordpress.com

[spellweaver16]

An americano? It's espresso and water, you can have syrup added to sweeten.

[lost squirrel]

Sweet but not too sweet? What about a javachip frappucino with an extra shot of espresso?
Or a cafe mocha with an extra shot as well. My two favorites, good luck.

[AngelSanctuary]

I love Starbucks but even I will say their food is...uh...subpar...

I'll go with the Greentea Frappuccino. I also like their pumpkin spice latte and their hazelnut hot chocolate. Well, I like almost everything but those are the ones I can think of that is not too sweet.

[steakman55]

2 or 3 cups of coffee should do it.

[starbucksbrew]

As you can see by my screen name, I'm a big fan. These are my favorites:

Any flavor frappuccino, but especially the green tea one (it has melon syrup)
Green tea latte (hot or cold. ask them to mix it well)
Raspberry mocha or raspberry hot chocolate (either one hot or cold)
Reduced fat banana chocolate chip cake
7 layer magic bar
Fudge brownie bites (new)

[tlegray]

I'm not a big fan of their bakery items either.

I would spend it on coffee to make at home, travel mug, and/or the chocolate covered coffee beans.

[ad.mich]

Top Pot Apple Fritters (if you get them fresh) are pretty freaking awesome. Not as good as if you were actually at Top Pot in Seattle, but still probably the best thing in the pastry case.

[Doh]

Those are pretty good, as are the chocolate donuts.

[Jasz]

I'm a big fan of the pumpkin loaf and I also like their oat-fudge bars and chocolate-caramel pretzels. The hot chocolates and steamed milks are good, flavoured if you like, as are the iced teas which you can get sweetened or not. If you do drink coffee products, the vanilla latte or mocha might be up your alley. Some of my local locations also sell little cartons of organic chocolate milk that is really good.

[Jasz]

I forgot about the chocolate-covered graham crackers and the granola bars. I'll also second starbucksbrew's rec of the rf banana cc cake.

[Cathy]

The bakery and sandwich items are prepared locally, not nationally (so they will be fresh daily) although a lot seem to follow a national recipe. It might be best to ask that specific question on your own Board.

In addition to coffees, (flavored and iced and variations thereof) they have teas (flavored and iced and variations thereof) and hot cocoas and "Viviano" beverages (one whole banana and fruit juices and protein and fiber)..

[rockandroller1]

No food I've had there is worth paying for, particularly the desserts which come in in a cardboard box on cardboard trays.

I would buy their ONE brand of fair trade coffee with it and make it at home, but that's just me.

[im_nomad]

what about teas? Do you drink tea?

My most favorite at-home coffee mugs are my starbucks mugs though.....if it were me, i'd spend it on that !

[DCLindsey]

For about $20, you can get a travel mug with a french press. I have one (not from Starbucks) and take it traveling with me, so I only need hot water to make better coffee.

[goodhealthgourmet]

as MMRuth pointed out, they also sell French presses, as well as mugs, and bags of whole-bean coffee if that's more useful for you.

[MMRuth]

I haven't had any desserts at Starbucks that I thought were worth the calories. They do sell French Presses, etc., if you might have a need for one of those.

[Emmmily]

Their desserts aren't bad (not great, but not bad), but ever since NYC passed a law requiring chains to post calorie counts... one look at those numbers and I stick to just a cup of tea. I'm not a calorie counter, but damn...

[ekdd]

I agree with emily. desserts arent close to worth the calories .........unless i havent eaten the whole day (when you always make the wrong choices)